Check out this week’s Resume McHenry County for details on some important deadlines.

Last Call for Summer 2023 Rotational Internship Host Companies

As several team members of the MCEDC serve as members of the Manufacturing Pathways Consortium, we wanted to remind our manufacturing business community of this tremendous opportunity.

The Manufacturing Pathways Consortium is made up of 75 manufacturing companies, 16 educational institutions, and 34 community partner organizations. Its mission is to create an employment pipeline focused on future careers within the manufacturing industry. One of their current key initiatives is the Summer 10-week Rotational Internship program for McHenry County high school students ages 16-18. Last summer, 89 students worked more than 16,500 hours! Thanks to an ARPA grant awarded through Advance McHenry County, host manufacturing companies participate in a cost-share program where they are reimbursed 50% of the wages for this summer program. Students are paid by each company to work up to 29 hours a week from the June 5 – August 11 program dates. Companies must be located within McHenry County to qualify.

With host company commitments due by November 28, there’s only 1 week to go to decide if your company will join in year 2 of this exciting endeavor bringing young talent into the manufacturing pipeline. Is your company interested in signing up for the Consortium’s Summer Rotational Internship program for high school students?

Reach out to mfgpathways@gmail.com. Or, do you still have questions or want to learn more? Sign up for the virtual info session next Monday, November 28 at 12 p.m. here – https://bit.ly/MPCEmployerInfo4

Christmas tree season is days away!

Looking to work off your family’s Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday? Cutting down and hauling the family’s Christmas tree burns calories and works a lot of muscle groups!

Most of McHenry County‘s Christmas tree farms open for business starting on Black Friday, and many of them include hot beverages, rides out to the tree fields, and all sorts of other activities to build future Christmas memories.

Fresh-cut Christmas trees sell out quickly, so get yours while you can – you can find lists of locations from our friends at Naturally McHenry County by clicking here and here.

Workforce Network releases fall labor report for McHenry County

If you’re a McHenry County employer, there’s a lot of good information in the fall labor report just released by the McHenry County Workforce Network.

The report is designed to be a snapshot of McHenry County’s labor market information thus far in 2022. The document is an invaluable tool to see workforce trends in McHenry County, and provides valuable information on topics such as local industrial makeup and change, jobs and earnings, unemployment characteristics, achievements of the Workforce Network, and more.

You can read the report by clicking here.

T-Mobile offering $50,000 Hometown Grants for local projects

T-Mobile’s Hometown Grant program offers $50,000 to help revitalize community spaces in towns with 50,000 or fewer people.

Funding will support government and nonprofit efforts to complete projects that will build, rebuild or refresh community areas to help foster local connections in small towns. Click here for a list of the most recent round of grant recipients.

The deadline for this next round of grants is Dec. 31 – click here to learn more and to apply.

Maybe this will be your town’s lucky break for that long-sought improvement project – last year, Woodstock won T-Mobile’s first-ever Hometown Techover contest, which covered $3 million in improvements and included a concert by Florida Georgia Line to boot.

Design Metra’s next safety poster and win $500!

If your child or student has a flair for art or writing, they can compete in Metra’s annual safety poster and essay contest!

This year’s theme is, “Stay Safe, Stay Off Train Tracks” to emphasize the importance of being aware of one’s surroundings when near railroad tracks, platforms, and crossings. Students can compete in the poster category, or by writing a 300-word essay.

The winner in each category, which is broken down by grade or age group, will receive a $500 gift card.

The contest is open to all students, in kindergarten through high school, who live in Metra’s six-county service area. Visit metra.com/contest to learn more – the deadline for entries is Jan. 20.

Share this email and help us spread the word!

The Resume McHenry County e-newsletter sure has grown since its 2020 creation to help businesses navigate the COVID-19 pandemic!

Every week, we strive to inform McHenry County businesses, local governments and citizens about the news that affects them, alert them to funding opportunities, offer a taste of McHenry County‘s many events and leisure opportunities, and so much more.

You can help us spread the word and reach more people by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of this, and every, edition to share it to your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

If you’re new to this newsletter and like what you see, be sure to click here and sign up to receive it every Tuesday afternoon!

Festival of Lights Parade to light up downtown Crystal Lake

The holiday season doesn’t officially start in Crystal Lake until the annual Festival of Lights Parade steps off!

The annual parade begins at 7 p.m. this Friday, winding through downtown and awash in bright lights and colors. And as always, Santa Claus himself will throw his magic dust to light the community Christmas tree. Santa will be in his downtown house to meet with kids between 8 and 9 p.m., and again from 10 to 3 on Saturday.

While you’re downtown, be sure to check the colorful Christmas Tree Lane collection at Depot Park by the Metra station.

You can learn more by clicking here.